#MHForAll Webinar: Beyond the UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health
The UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health is a historic milestone in tackling one of today’s greatest global health challenges. Nearly one billion people worldwide live with a mental health condition, yet most lack access to essential care and face stigma, discrimination, and violations of their rights. Prevention and supportive environments remain critically underdeveloped. For the first time, Heads of State convened to place mental health firmly on the global agenda and commit to meaningful change - but this is just the beginning.
On Tuesday 4th November, representatives from WHO and UNICEF, and experts from Peru, South Africa, and the UK, came together to reflect on the journey to this pivotal moment and the outcomes of the political declaration. They discussed how we can maintain momentum following these landmark commitments and outlined the actions advocates can take to support accountability.
Expert Panellists:
Antonis Kousoulis, Global Mental Health Action Network, UK
James Sale, United for Global Mental Health, UK
Eva Kiegele, World Health Organization, USA
Lucero Andaluz Llerena, De-Mentes, Peru
Shayni Geffen, South African Federation for Mental Health, South Africa
Kathrine Olsen Flaate, UNICEF, USA
A historic moment: UN HLM and the Political Declaration
International influencing over the past 18 months has been critical in ensuring that Member States make direct interventions towards a strong Political Declaration - and there is a lot to celebrate! The Political Declaration includes commitments to improving mental health care across the world in a number of important areas that have been, from the start, set as critical priorities by the coordinated global mental health advocacy community. This includes everything from enhancing governance and sustainable financing to creating health-promoting environments, investing in primary healthcare, and strengthening health systems and data.
Highlights from the Political Declaration
🔸UN Member States have committed to strengthening mental health systems through:
"Scale up… and provision of psychosocial and psychological support, and pharmacological treatment for depression, anxiety and psychosis… including childhood and youth mental health conditions.”
“Addressing related stigma, including through inclusive and accessible quality public education and the involvement of people with lived experience.”
“Expanding primary health and community-based services… shifting, as appropriate, mental health care and resources from specialised institutions”
🔸UN Member States have committed to prioritising young people’s mental health by:
“Integrating, as appropriate, prevention, screening, diagnosis, rehabilitation and long-term care into existing programmes for communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and sexual and reproductive health programmes.”
“Address[ing] the health risks related to digital technology… stressing the importance of updating regulatory and educational systems to ensure that children and young people benefit from the opportunities of digital services… and are protected from the potential negative impact that digital services can have on their physical and mental health.”
“Address[ing] the impact of misinformation and disinformation around the prevention and treatment of NCDs and mental health conditions and their risk factors… to protect especially children and young people.”
🔸UN Member States have committed to preventing suicide, and taking steps to decriminalise attempted suicide, by:
“Developing national suicide prevention strategies and action plans; limiting access to means of suicide, including highly hazardous pesticides; reducing stigma for mental health conditions and neurological disorders; creating an open environment to discuss mental health; fostering a public health approach…”
“Providing support to persons affected by suicide and self-harm; promoting and supporting the responsible reporting of suicide by the media, including online, digital and social; fostering life skills and support for young people.”
🔸UN Member States recognised the role of social and commercial determinants of health and committed to:
“Address key social, economic and environmental determinants of noncommunicable diseases and mental health and the impact of economic, commercial and market factors.”
🔸UN Member States have committed to sustainable mental health financing through:
“Adequate, predictable and sustained resources… to promote mental health and well-being, through domestic, bilateral and multilateral channels… and continuing to explore voluntary innovative financing mechanisms and partnerships.”
“Reduce[d] out-of-pocket expenditure… by implementing financial protection policies to cover or limit the cost of essential services, diagnostics, assistive products, psychosocial support, and medicines.”
National implementation & accountability
Mental health advocates involved in the HLM process have strengthened their connections with government bodies, creating a valuable opportunity to drive action on mental health. The momentum generated this year provides a strong foundation to sustain advocacy and collaboration, even in contexts of political instability or leadership change.
The HLM discussions have fostered greater openness and civil society engagement. Participation in the global process also enabled learning and knowledge exchange among global advocates. In Peru, the HLM’s focus on youth mental health has allowed Lucero to expand her work across the country and secure greater investment. In South Africa, Shayni’s HLM involvement has strengthened cross-sector partnerships, and a united front with clear messaging has made it easier to engage the Department of Health and maintain progress.
Kathrine notes that the meaningful inclusion of child and youth mental health in the Political Declaration is “a signal that the world is finally acknowledging their unique needs.” UNICEF is equipping offices with advocacy resources and tools to turn commitments into action and continuing to amplify and consult youth voices in their work. Together with WHO, UNICEF is developing an accountability mechanism and interactive web platform, launching in 2026, to help governments deliver and track progress.
“To support accountability for the High-Level Meeting commitments, mental health advocates should …”
🔹Eva: Coordinate and align messaging in our approach to member states to help them achieve targets in the political declaration
🔹James: Focus on dedicated areas for improvement as opposed to trying to improve everything all at once
🔹Lucero: Work together to turn the political declaration into concrete action at the national and local levels
🔹Shayni: Examine existing domestic policies, plans and commitments and identify opportunities in your countries to bring about change
🔹Kathrine: Continue using your voice; everything you do makes a difference. Your voices are instrumental in ensuring there is a political awakening, and we must build on this together to support accountability.
🔹Antonis: Join the Action Network!
A poll conducted during the webinar captured the global mental health community’s top priorities following the HLM on NCDs and Mental Health
Child and youth mental health (23%) emerged as a top priority for global advocates from 36 countries, followed by stigma and discrimination (17%) and primary healthcare & UHC (12%). Access to medicines (1%) and the health workforce (3%) sit at the bottom of the priorities list.
📢Have your say! What are you prioritising in your own work and advocacy? Complete our poll now!
In case you missed it:
🔸 Access an insider-outsider view in James Sale’s reflective blog
🔸 Read about the journey to implementation in Dr Antonis Kousoulis’s blog
🔸 Learn how GMHAN’s Short-Term Action Group influenced the HLM process
🔸 Look back at the advocacy roadmap that led to historic commitments at the HLM
GMHAN is a community of advocates that makes change happen.
We’re committed to:
Enabling advocates to influence key global structures and decisions, and advocating on a national and global stage for what matters locally.
Nurturing community and providing a global "home" for mental health advocates and activists, often excluded from traditional power structures.
Utilising our global reach and networks to bring people and organisations together, and supporting advocates to strengthen their skills, learning and awareness.
Leading by example, holding the sector to account and championing diverse and culturally appropriate mental health leadership.
Join over 8,000 advocates from 170+ countries working to strengthen global mental health advocacy and improve mental health for all!
